Tormented Thoughts
by Aeriscetra12
Summary: This is my version of what happened during the trip from Bespin after Luke's encounter with Darth Vader.


Disclaimer: I don't own any Star Wars characters.

Summary: What happened after Bespin while Luke is in the _Millennium Falcon_.

Luke twisted and turned. Vivid images from the very recent encounter with Vader kept replaying in his mind.

_The sharp pain and numbness when he cut off his hand... The black gloved hand reaching out as if to touch him. "Luke...I am your father... father... father..." The dreaded statement repeated over and over. Somehow, he could feel the truth of the statement, no matter how much he wished it wasn't true. _

"_Luke?"_

"_Luke!"_

He slowly opened his eyes. Leia was there sitting beside him holding his good hand.

"Luke, are you all right? I'm sorry. I'm sorry for getting captured. I'm sorry for getting Han captured. I'm... sorry...for everything..." she choked out as she started crying.

"Leia" Luke said weakly as he squeezed her hand. "It was not your fault. It was my fault for not being there with you. It's my fault. Don't –"

"No!!!" Leia cried out. "You were busy with your things. But we.. we just walked right into that trap! Ha... Han was captured and claimed by Boba Fett. He's going to take him to Jabba!"

Luke turned and stared at the ceiling, not speaking. _How was he going to tell her that Vader was his father? How will she forgive him? How will anybody forgive him?_

"Don't worry, Leia. We'll get him back, soon. Don't worry." He said at last.

Leia looked at Luke and then looked down to the ground guiltily. "I'm sorry, Luke. You shouldn't have to hear my problems while you're like this. I'll be going now." She turned and started to walk away.

"No!" With surprising speed, Luke's left hand latched onto her's. "Don't leave me, please." He pleaded with her. "At least for just a while longer...please." Whispered Luke.

She settled back down and squeezed his hand gently.

"Ok, Luke. I'll stay right here. I won't move an inch."

"Thank you."

Luke soon unwillingly fell into the deep black abyss and was asleep.

* * *

_Ben was walking farther and farther away from him to turn off the tractor beams. "Don't go!" he shouted. But it was as if he didn't hear him. As he tried to follow him, each step he took seemed to make the distance between him and Ben longer. Just as he was about to shout to get Ben's attention, the scene shifts._

_He was watching in horror as Vader and Ben fought with intense concentration and deadly skill. He was going to save Ben this time! "Ben! Watch out!" as he tried to run towards the sith and jedi. He got to them. Grabbing Ben's lightsaber, he took a swing at Darth Vader. He succeeded in decapitating him but just like it was when he was on Dagobah, the helmet melted to reveal his own face. But this time, it was smiling evilly at him._

_"Go and join the Emperor. We will become great if you do. We can have Leia and all the things we desire. You know you want to. With all the power that comes with the position, we would be unstoppable!"_

_"No. You're wrong. The Emperor killed many innocents. Along with Vader he-"_

_"Our father you mean."_

"_No. I will never accept him as my father. He killed Biggs, Ben, he stood by as Alderaan was destroyed. He is nothing but a monster." _

"_Luke." He turned around. Ben was calling him. "Listen you yourself, Luke. Go and join the Emperor."_

"_Ben...I..." but before he could get the words out, Ben' s face morphed into an ugly old man with sunken red eyes and an evil glaze. "You will join me, or you will die. Son of Skywalker!" With that, he started to thrown blue lightning._

_He could feel it scorch his skin. He could feel it eating away his energy and life second by second. He screamed and thrashed around trying to escape the agonizing feel of the lightning._

* * *

"_Luke! Wake up! Wake up!"_

Leia shook Luke repeatedly. His face was filled with pain and he was jerking as if he was being electrocuted. His screams tore a whole in her heart. _What did Vader do to you Luke?_ Chewie rushed into the scene barking and growling in concern and worry.

As he gradually opened his eyes, he could see Leia's concerned face swim into view.

"Luke are you ok?"

"Rrrowl?" came Chewie's concerned question.

"Luke what happened? You were screaming and jerking around." Came Leia's worried question.

"I...I had a nightmare. That's all. Just a nightmare." He glanced down. "I'm all right now." He looked up again, his eyes pleading with her to not question him about what happened in the nightmare.

Leia sighed. "All right, Luke."

Chewie growled. "Arragh Rrrrrow." He patted Luke and turned to go back and co-pilot the _Falcon._

Leia watched him and then sighed again. "Luke, I'll be going up and see what's happening, ok?"

"Ok."

As Leia headed towards the front, Luke watched her go then sighed. _What was that dream all about? Was it a vision? Like the one on Dagobah? Who was that man? _The image of the red eyed man gave him the shivers. _I've got to be careful. It's much easier to turn to the dark side than I thought. One slip and it would be all over. _He closed his eyes again. _Why is my life like this? I thought fighting against the Empire was going to be exciting and it would be easy. So many people had died... and many more lives will be lost before this war is over. _He opened his eyes. His eyes glistened with barely restrained tears as they threaten to overflow. _Anger and fear. Both dark side emotions. I am filled with so much of them. Am I destined to fall like Vader did? Or am I destined to succeed where he failed? _He closed his eyes and soon drifted into an uncertain and uneasy sleep, tired from all the day's events.

As Leia came back she saw that Luke had fallen asleep again. His eyes moved around as if he was dreaming something again and his whole body was barely relaxed. _What did Vader do to you Luke? Yes, he cut off your hand, but what did he also do to make you like this? _She took a hold of his hand. _Yes, I've got to be strong for Luke, for Han. While I love Han with all my heart, I also love Luke. But he is like a brother to me. A brother that I've never had. I will help you stand again, Luke. I will help you like you have helped me selfishlessly ever since you saved me from the Death Star. I will help you..._

* * *

Far, far away, an old jedi spoke.

"Overcome their problems they will. Destined for greatness he is."

"When will we tell him the truth? When will be the right time for Luke to know about his true parantage and his sister? We cannot keep this hidden forever."

"Impatient you are." Yoda exclaimed. "But right you are. Not much time there is. Face Him Luke will soon."

"He will succeed, where his father had not." Obi-wan's blue form turned. "He will not fail, Master."

"Hmm... See in soon we will. Survived this encounter, Luke has. Turn he has not. Very good this is." Yoda hobbled to a rock and sat down. _Strong in the force is he. Lose him we cannot. In him hope we must..._

* * *

_AN: So how was it? Good, bad, in between? Review please! Thank you. I don't really know how to do Chewie's speech so please excuse the bad growls and stuff. I'm not sure if you will get what Luke's nightmare was about. Explanation down below._

_Luke's nightmare was part vision and part his thinking about what he could have if he accepted Vader's offer and stuff. Because with the power, he thinks he could help more people and stuff. But the bad part is, he would have to turn to the dark side of the Force. And we all know that no matter how your intentions seem good, when you use the dark side, it taints the deed that was done, since it was done in anger and stuff. Hope this clears things up. _


End file.
